FORUM

What are we about?  Please read about our Forum Culture and check out the Rules

BUNNY 911 – If your rabbit hasn’t eaten or pooped in 12-24 hours, call a vet immediately!  Don’t have a vet? Check out VET RESOURCES 

The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet.  It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.

BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

FORUM HOUSE RABBIT Q & A 4 1\2 year old bunny with dental disease weird body language.

Viewing 2 reply threads
  • Author
    Messages

    • Renee
      Participant
      2 posts Send Private Message

        My 4.5 year old bunny had his first surgery to cut down his molars a year ago. He stayed at his water and ate a ton of pellets but refused hay and chewing toys. He would lean his head all the way back as if to sniff real hard sometimes coming up on his hind legs. He would push his head under the ramps in his cage to mash his head under them. He stopped doing that for a year after the surgery. He also at that time had wool block and went into GI stasis after surgery which I got him over. Last month he starred the sniffing in air up on hind legs and drinking and eating a lot. Had trimming surgery again. He was on critical care for a few days and started eating good and all was good. Last week he started the sniffing and throwing head back mashing his head under the ramp again so I took him back and the vet trimmed his teeth again. He had been chewing his toys and some hay so I did not understand the teeth causing this again so soon but now he is doing the same thing with the sniffing with head back sneezing and putting his head under the ramp. She told me to give children’s benedryl liquid 1.0 ml 3 times a day snd .4 ml of meta cam and .1 ml of bene bac 1/2 dramamine tablet, Said I could have his skull xrayed, or have scans done by a university to see if he has a cyst or bone disfigurement. I of course cannot afford it I just spent over 500.00 on the 2 surgeries and meds in a month and over 1000.00 last year. She says she is bewildered by his symptoms and its not the teeth she xrayed those or snuffles because there is no drainage in his eyes or nose and his lungs are clear and the only bunny at home. She is the only exotic vet in this state, so I cannot get a second opinion. Has anyone seen anything like this? I’m at my wits end and so is my vet. She said I may have to put him to sleep if he keeps on, but he is not lethargic or anything, eating good plays with toys. I am concerned hes in pain putting his head under that ramp and staying in his water. Also giving him so many meds. Cannot be good for him this long. She said to also give him half a dramamine, tablet twice a day. Haven’t done that yet worried that with benedryl and meta cam he would be over medicated and not eat or xhew since they all make him sleepy. I don’t know what to do anyone’s input is appreciated thanks.


      • jerseygirl
        Moderator
        22356 posts Send Private Message

          Hi Renee

          It all sounds pretty puzzling. No wonder you’re worried.

          I had the thought that maybe one of the tooth roots could be impacting on one of the cranial nerves, but if so, I don’t think you’d see the symptoms stop right after the inital molar trim.

          I just wanted to clarify what you meant by staying by his water. Do you mean he’s continually wanting to drink at those times?

          Have you been able to take any video of when he’s acting oddly?

          The sniffing hard, leaning head back and coming up onto hind legs sounds “nose pointing” when a rabbit is having trouble breathing through the nose. Or almost like a focal(partial) seizure.

          Sorry, just throwing out some random thoughts based on the description. : (

          With his last 2 dental trims, had the molars grown spurs in that one month period? Or was something missed in the earlier appt last month?

          What is the vet recommending the dramamine for?
          It come up in a recent discussion here as it’s sometimes used for rabbits with head tilt.


        • Renee
          Participant
          2 posts Send Private Message

            The vet said the x ray did not show the roots looking abnormal. I did show the vet a video of him doing this. As for sitting at the water, he will just rest his chin on his water bowl. as if breathing over the water helps.sometimes he sits there and drinks and puts his paws in the water then in his mouth. its really strange. She thoroughly checked him and saw nothing in blood work, dental x rays,or physical exam that looked out of the ordinary. but he has got something going on. when he first had the trim a year ago to the day almost, he was doing it the sniffing leaning back and head under the ramp, and he stopped for a year after surgery. the second time he didn’t stop. she told me his teeth had grown back the spurs in 3 weeks, so we had a 3rd trim last week. I just can hardly believe they grew that fast and still doing the sniffing and putting his head under his ramp. She said the only thing to do is a skull x ray for 180 and if it shows abnormal bone or cyst..surgery for 500.00+ or I can have an MRI done and send it to some university for 1000.00 and then surgery for 1000’s more not hundreds more. It really scared me, I dont have that kind of money I dont know who does lol. But I found this page while googling hoping someone may have seen this behavior before.since it went away for a year, I was hoping it was fixable, not serious, but its back for over a month now and the vet is saying give these meds not knowing whats wrong and if he gets worse may have to consider putting him to sleep. He is still active very loving and eating well, I just dont want him in pain hes not acting like hes in pain just putting his head under that ramp makes me feel like it helps something. To me he acts like he has a cold but no signs of drainage anywhere. it is so strange. the vet did not say why the dramamine, he is not displaying any head tilt symptoms. He is not acting dizzy or off balance and is only leaning head back as if to sniff hard.

        Viewing 2 reply threads
        • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.

        FORUM HOUSE RABBIT Q & A 4 1\2 year old bunny with dental disease weird body language.